itself is water resistant, the included clear housing gives it a waterproof rating to over 130 feet along with a standard tripod socket. With a high capacity micro-SD card, such as a 32GB, you can record four and three- quarters hours of 1080p video or even more in its 720p or 480p modes. If you expect to be doing lots of recording, be sure to pick up some extra batteries, since SENA claims they are good for about two hours; in our field test they recorded less. The Prism can record in a variety of reso-
lutions and frame rates, as well as in two different fields of view, 137 degrees and 90 degrees, to afford you the option of differ- ent, creative video shots. The camera is also effective for still photos with four different resolution and aspect ratio combinations. Burst shot and time-lapse videos are also included in its features list. After the units are charged and ready for
use, the next step will be to mount the inter- coms to your helmets (assuming you have a pair of them) and then make the connec- tion between the units via the Bluetooth pairing. When pairing the two 20S units, shaking them in pairing mode will execute the link-up. Next, comes pairing the camera and finding a mounting spot. Once you spend some time with the 20S
and the Prism, you’ll marvel on how easy they are to use, although getting to that point can be a little confusing. Both the devices have simple controls, made inten- tionally for operation with motorcycle gloves. To access the range of functions on the 20S, you must learn the sequence of button pushing and jog dial tapping or holding to obtain the desired outcome. Once set up, however, it becomes easy to use. The camera has only two buttons, so it too has sequencing and button holding operations to access the wide range of fea- tures and settings. After setting up the intercoms on two
helmets and putting the Prism on a motor- cycle, it was time for a road test. The results brought huge smiles. The communication between riders was nearly flawless when used with another 20S. Communication with an earlier SENA model 10S intercom seemed to drop off more readily and had to
Using the PRISM in single shot mode yielded this detailed 5MB photo in a 16:9 aspect ratio. The camera can also do burst modes or time lapse, as well as several modes of HD video recording
September 2015 BMW OWNERS NEWS 23
The included clamp bracket for the PRISM camera easily attaches to handle bars or crash bars. Although the 1200 LC boxer is pretty smooth, there is a bit of buzzyness that will show up in the video. For best quality video, mount the camera to your helmet.
be re-established, although when in range, the sound was clear and easily had cell phone quality. As for answering cell calls, a simple tap of the jog dial on the 20S con- nected the call. Folks on the other end found the quality to be very good. The sound from the speakers was about the best we’ve ever heard inside a helmet. Naturally, a quiet helmet with a chin guard to reduce wind noise will yield the best results. The Prism video performance was full,
high-def 1080p glorious cinema quality in the palm of your hand--as good as it gets! We learned a few things quickly that enhanced our appreciation for the Prism. The voice narration feature is best done with the built-in camera microphone on either the “low” or “off” position. In the fac- tory default “high” position, the ambient noise when on a motorcycle can equal the talk-over. The camera can also be set to automatically shut off the internal mic when connected to the 20S intercom, a
recommended setting. The recording is easily controlled via the jog wheel on the headset. You’ll quickly learn that a tap means just that, as pressing the jog wheel for one second will make the unit think you’re trying to find another intercom. Aside from that, you’ll be happy to be able to effortlessly start and stop recording. Mount the camera on your helmet if you want to avoid engine vibration and bike movements which can blur the video. The advantages to the system make the
startup and learning curve seem irrelevant. Yes, the list price for a pair of 20S headsets at $549 and the Prism at $399 will put a dent in almost any budget, but the increase in riding pleasure and safety in communi- cation makes these top quality items priced very fairly and worth every penny. Perhaps the best part of the intercom can be summed up by our rider who experienced using an intercom for the first time: “It makes riding more fun!”
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